Process for selecting an off-size material during travel

ABSTRACT

An automatic selection process for selecting off-size material during travel wherein first, the front end of the material is detected and a pulse count from a pulse generator is started, second, at the time of detecting the rear end of the material, the number of pulses is compared with a preset value, and third, when the compared value does not agree with the preset value, the traveling material is removed from the regular travel line. This process is very effective for rejecting off-size material in tube making, round bar making processes, etc.

TIE-rite States atet 11 1 Matsuzaki et a1.

11 3,749,241 1451 July 31,1973

[ PROCESS FOR SELECTING AN OFF-SIZE 3,455,444 7/1969 Simmons 209/82 MATERIAL DURING TRAVEL 3,464,547 9/1969 Becker 209/82 X 3,480,141 11/1969 Rock 209/82 X 1 Inventors: Akin Matsuzaki; Kanzi Tsuruoka. 3,525,433 3/1970 Babb 209/82 both of Tokyo; Tetuo Sada, Yokohama; Hiroshi Onishi, Hiroshima, all of Japan Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher [73] Assignee: Nippon Kokan Kabushiki Kaisha, Atmmey Gerge oulevolk Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Nov. 18, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] Appl. No.: 200,093

An automatic selection process for selecting off-size material during travel wherein first, the front end of the [30] Foreign Appncaflon Priority Data material is detected and a pulse count from a pulse gen- Nov. 20, 1970 Japan 45/101912 crawlis Mal-ted, second. at the time of detecting the rear end of the material, the number of pulses is com- UaS. Clr t a preset value, and when com [51] Int. Cl.... 1307c 5/10 pared value does not agree with the preset value the [58] Field of Search 209/82, 111.7; traveling material is removed f the sub, travel 250/219 LG line. This process is very effective for rejecting off-size material in tube making, round bar making processes, [56] References Cited em UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,224,322 12/1965 Westbrook 209/82 UX 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures nusa- 9 7 X Y ECT COZN'IRPL DETECTOR 3 5 4 DETECTOR PULSE SOL 2 GENERATOR A A n PAIENIEUJMWB 3749.241

' saw 1 OF 2 nmaa 9 7 H Y ECT \CCNIRPL DETECTOR 3 5 1 4 DETECTOR PUL E SOL 2 GENERATOR A A (L U FROCESS FOR SELECTING AN OFF-SIZE MATERIAL DURING TRAVEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process for selecting an off-size material during travel, and more particularly, to the selecting of off-size tubes during tube making.

7 BRIEF REVIEW OF THE PRIOR ART In general, the selecting and the rejecting of offgauge or off-size materials is troublesome. However, it is an unavoidable fact that material not meeting requirements, e.g., of thickness, coating-or size, such as length, are frequently produced during material making. As for selecting and rejecting of the off-gauge on thickness or coating among these requirements, e.g., sheet, plate or tin'plate, many studies have been'mad'e and have been put into practice as an on-line process. However, while studies and'papers about selecting and rejecting processing of long size materials as tubular products or the like are few, at presentthese processes are still manually operated. Needless to say, this is noct sufficient and is accompanied withsome danger. Such a situation is frequently seen intubular products making processes. For example, breakdowns are apt to occur in known butt welded tube making processes. These occur in estimating reduction of material based on the weld zone or some lamination of the mother material, i.e., hoop, skelp, or slit strips.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION This invention has been developed to deal with the ready and sure selection and rejectionof off-size material automatically. The main features of this invention revolve around a process that measures the material length and having selecting means for comparison of the material with preset requirements. Rejecting means for rejecting the off-size material'is'also combined, with the other components.

Thus, an object of this invention is to provide a process for selecting off-size material during travel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simplc, sure and safe arrangement for selectingoff-size material during travel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, the present invention contemplates an arrangement for the selection of off-size material during travel. The size of the material'is detected as a pulse count which is compared with a preset value corresponding to the required size. Means are provided for removing the selected traveling material andtransferring it to a storage area out of the travel path.

Other objects and advantages will be more readily apparent from the following detailed descriptionand the accompanying drawings in whcich:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an outline showing an arrangement of the detector contemplated herein in a traveling line of material;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the electrical mechanism contemplated herein; and,

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of the removing of an off-size material from the regular operating line.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The process of this invention is shown in the accompanyin'gdrawings using, as an example, a butt welding process. FIG. 1, which is an outline of the inventive concept, shows the traveling direction of material 1, i.e., a tube. At the end of the travel path of the tube is a detector 3 anda detector 4 of the tube which should be removed. At the travel path end there is also a device for removing an off-size tube and a storage area for the removedtubes. The details of the foregoing components, I to 10, are shown in FIG. 2 showing the tube traveling over carrier rolls In. As shown in FIG. 2", the pulse generator is on the axis line with carrier rolls la of the traveling tube.

A pulse count from a pulse generator 2 starts at the time when a detector 3 detects the front end of a traveling tube. The pulse generator as shown in FIG. 2 is on the same axis asthe carrier rolls la andthe generation of pulses-depends on the rotation of the carrier rolls for the traveling tube. The pulse count is memorized at a selection means 7 untilthe detector 3 detects the rear end of he tube. Then the pulse count is compared with a-preset value in-said-selection means 7. When both values agree, the traveling'tube will proceed on the regular line. If the values do not agree, which means that the tube length is either longer or shorter than the required length, the traveling tube will cause the following sequence of steps to occur. An unequal signal from selectionmeans 7 is introduced to a control means 6 through a relay 8' accompanying a timer 9. The control means 6 operates a solenoid valve 5 depending upon a signal from another detector 4, which detects the best suitable position when said traveling tube can be removed. Solenoid valve 5 puts a removal device 10 in operation.

Thus, the removed tube, as mentioned above, is handled by the means shown in FIG. 3, that is, the tube 14 is loaded on a screw conveyer 11 and then on another screw conveyer 13 across a guide table 12. These screw conveyers' II, 13 are put in motion by the action of said solenoid valve 5. The off-size tube 14 is transferred to storage area 15.

This embodiment is used in an actual butt welded tube making process. According to many experiments, the selection and rejection of the off-size tubes was carried out automatically without any trouble. At the same time, this process may also be widely utilized in other fields, not only for the butt welded tube making process. Because the requirements of setting the pulse count, detecting the traveling of material and removal of the material may be freely changed without changing the invention concept.

We claim:

1. Ina tube making operation wherein formed tubes are cuased to travel along an elongated travel path, an arrangement for detecting and removing defective tubes, comprising in combination: I

at. detecting means to detect the front and rear ends of a tube;

b. pulse generating means responsive to said detecting means generating a stream of pulses as said tube is detected;

c. selection means coupled to said pulse generating means including timer means, for storing therein a preset pulse count with said generated pulses and f. enabling-means on said selection means enabling the turning of the screw conveyor including detector means for detecting the front and rear of said tube, timer means coupled to said detection means for fixing the size of said tube, and a relay con nected between said selection means and screw conveyor to enable said screw conveyor. 

1. In a tube making operation wherein formed tubes are cuased to travel along an elongated travel path, an arrangement for detecting and removing defective tubes, comprising in combination: a. detecting means to detect the front and rear ends of a tube; b. pulse generating means responsive to said detecting means generating a stream of pulses as said tube is detected; c. selection means coupled to said pulse generating means including timer means, for storing therein a preset pulse count with said generated pulses and a solenoid enabled by a pulse count, indicating an off-size tube; d. a screw conveyer disposed normal to said travel path, said tube traveling over said screw conveyer, said conveyer being connected to and enabled by said selection means to convey rejected tubes from said travel path; e. guide means to guide said tubes to a storage area; and, f. enabling-means on said selection means enabling the turning of the screw conveyor including detector means for detecting the front and rear of said tube, timer means coupled to said detection means for fixing the size of said tube, and a relay connected betwEen said selection means and screw conveyor to enable said screw conveyor. 